Adrian Rădulescu, David Popovici’s coach, is certain that, at the moment, David Popovici is the best swimmer in the world in the 200-meter freestyle event.
Popovici once again won the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle event in Paris, after triumphing at the European Championships in Rome and Belgrade. Rădulescu revealed that Popovici was relaxed before the race.
The coach also explained the reasons behind the relaxation, and he conveyed that, in his opinion, David Popovici currently has no rival in the 200-meter freestyle event.
"He had every reason to be relaxed. Entering as the favorite in both events, the fact that, OK, Kornev and Milák have made progress in the hundred free, they are still one step behind him. In the 200 free, he is by far the favorite in this event, not only in Europe but globally, even though he has not reached his best times yet.
If you think of someone who could win a 200 free at any time of the day, I don't know, you gather eight boys from any continent, bring them all together in a pool at Lia Manoliu and have them do a 200 free, you think that David beats them. And then it's normal for him to approach things with a bit more calmness," Adrian Rădulescu stated, according to gsp.ro.
Marca: "David Popovici has no rival"
Journalists from Marca have supported the same idea, that David Popovici currently has no rival, at least at the European Championships.
Marca wrote about Popovici's successful performance, after becoming the first swimmer in history to win gold three times in a row in the 100 and 200 meters at the European Championships.
"David Popovici has no rival.
The Romanian repeats the double in the 100 and 200 meters for the third time with absolute authority.
David Popovici repeated the double for the third time in the speed events of the continental championships at the European Championships. As it happened in Rome in 2022 and in Belgrade in 2024, the Romanian prevailed in the 200-meter freestyle and completed his collection, demonstrating that he has no rival on the continent," notes Marca.